Married to the Cold CEO

Chapter Eight

Alex and Tiffany were chatting happily at the table when suddenly they both sensed an overwhelming presence.

Alex abruptly looked up, his face a mixture of surprise and delight as he spotted a man standing by the table. “Mr. Stone, what are you doing here?” he asked.

Having met Maxwell only a couple of times before, Alex was taken aback that Maxwell even recognized him.

Alex quickly stood up, awkwardly fumbling with his hands, “Mr. Stone, are you dining here as well?”

Scarlett, still nearby, couldn’t quite believe her eyes—Maxwell was here too?

Maxwell glanced at Alex, then his cool gaze drifted to Tiffany’s face. With a slight, knowing smile he said, “I’m here to see this young lady.”

Instantly, Tiffany blushed and stood, stammering, “M-Mr. Stone, do we know each other?”

Maxwell replied playfully, “I felt an immediate connection with you. Fate brought us together!”

Tiffany’s cheeks turned scarlet as she lowered her eyes, heart pounding, and whispered nervously, “I…I feel very fated with you too, Mr. Stone.”

After a brief pause, Maxwell murmured to his assistant standing behind him, “Since fate has brought us together, get this young lady a cup of snake bite—my treat.”

He then cast a meaningful look toward Scarlett before turning back to Tiffany and adding, “We will meet again.”

With that, he turned on his heel and walked away with determined ease.

Scarlett froze for a moment, suddenly understanding the hidden message behind the “snake bite” order.

Had the setting been different, she might have burst into raucous laughter.

Alas, neither Alex nor Tiffany seemed to notice the true implication behind this VIP’s remark.

Once Alex settled back into his seat, he leaned toward Tiffany, his excitement barely concealed. “Tiffany, you really don’t know Mr. Stone? I see he’s treating you in a very special way. If we can get in on that connection, we’re sure to skyrocket in our careers!”

Tiffany, still blushing, shook her head. “I really don’t know; it’s my first time meeting him, but…he seems to treat me specially. Maybe my looks caught his eye!”

Watching Tiffany’s shy demeanor, Scarlett felt a pang of discomfort she could hardly bear to watch.

Shortly after dinner, Scarlett received a message from Maxwell:

[Maxwell Stone: Meet me at last night’s hotel!]

Scarlett left the restaurant, offering her farewells as she departed.

Once in the car, she took out her phone and checked the live feed from the pinhole camera attached to her office desk.

At 6:30, someone had sneaked into the design department and stolen the backup design file she had locked away in her desk drawer.

Scarlett smiled sardonically—she knew these two all too well.

If she hadn’t been so familiar with their tactics, her entire plan wouldn’t have proceeded so smoothly.

When Scarlett arrived at the hotel, as soon as she stepped through the door, a man swept her into his arms.

Maxwell pressed his forehead against her shoulder and said in a low voice, “You smell wonderful.”

Scarlett’s cheeks flushed uncontrollably. “Max…well, wait a minute—I need to get something!” she protested.

Maxwell lifted his head and asked quietly, “What did you just call me?”

Scarlett’s face turned an even deeper red, and, a bit embarrassed, she mumbled, “Hu—husband!”

Maxwell laughed softly, “Husband, huh?”

Closing her eyes and summoning her courage, Scarlett repeated, “Lovebug!”

A charming smile tugged at Maxwell’s lips. “That’s perfect. Consider it a gift,” he said as he handed her a USB drive before heading off to take a shower.

Scarlett stared after his departing back, her eyes flashing with determination. She retrieved her notebook from the bag she carried and plugged the USB drive in.

Immediately, she reviewed the footage from the restaurant—there, the hidden camera had captured a clip of Alex and Tiffany chatting, with a discreet shot under the table revealing their legs intertwined.

Scarlett burst into laughter. At last, she understood exactly why Maxwell had ordered that cup of snake bite for Tiffany!

After her laughter subsided, she quickly opened the registration page for the Star Brilliance Jewelry Competition and uploaded the design file she had scanned earlier.

Both the Star Brilliance Jewelry Competition and the Century Jewelry Competition hosted by Sterling Jewelers were set to begin judging tomorrow.

While the former wasn’t as prestigious as the latter, both competitions boasted fully transparent judging processes—exactly the point Scarlett valued.